154 THE BOG. 



up the stem, are caught in this, and may frequently 

 be discovered, struggling in vain to extricate them- 

 selves. A very singular flower, which we see 

 sometimes in gardens, is the Aristolochia ; it has a 

 tube, narrower than that of the Honeysuckle, but 

 the lower end of which suddenly expands and 

 forms a bulb. The narrowest part of the tube is 

 furnished with a row of hairs, pointing inwards, 

 so that flies alighting on the flower in quest of 

 honey find very easy access, but, when they have 

 satisfied themselves, find it impossible to return, 

 in consequence of the passage being blocked up by 

 the points of the hairs; they are therefore kept 

 close prisoners until the flower fades, when they 

 regain their liberty. You have, I dare say, noticed 

 in many flowers, especially the larger kinds, such 

 as the Lily, a quantity of fine yellow powder : now, 

 in order that a flower may produce seeds, it is 

 necessary that some of this powder, called pollen, 

 should be removed from the place where it grows, 

 to another part of the flower. In ordinary cases, 

 this is effected by the wind : but, in the Aristolochia, 

 the wind can have no power; the whole of the 

 interior of the flower being so thoroughly shel- 

 tered, that not a grain of pollen is disturbed, let 

 the wind blow as hard as it may. To remedy this 

 seeming defect, God has " prepared a worm." 

 An insignificant fly, in quest of a particle of honey, 

 alights on the petal of a flower, and, guided probably 

 by an instinct, the very nature of which is unknown 

 to us, discovers the place where the store of sweet 

 fluid is secreted. It finds no difficulty in obtain- 

 ing admission ; but, being disappointed in its en- 

 deavour to return by the way it entered, travels 

 round and round its chamber, seeking some other 



